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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 8, No. 9

Publication Date: September 25, 2021

DOI:10.14738/assrj.89.10868. Ofosu-Boateng, N. R. L. (2021). The Ripple Effects of Maritime Piracy and Armed Robbery in the Gulf of Guinea. Advances in Social

Sciences Research Journal, 8(9). 289-302.

Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom

The Ripple Effects of Maritime Piracy and Armed Robbery in the

Gulf of Guinea

Nana Raymond Lawrence Ofosu-Boateng

Regional Maritime University, Ghana

ABSTRACT

The acts of piracy had bedeviled mankind for many centuries though the modus

operandi of this sinister act keeps changing over the years. The core concept still

remains the same. It usually involves an armed attack at sea for a vessel, its cargo,

crew or all of the three. The stage is set at sea, but the fall out effects are far reaching

than we can imagine. There are political, economic social, security and

environmental implications. All these aggregates or determinants are intertwined

and have adverse consequences on all the stakeholders. Failed states political

instability has become fertile grounds for pirates or sea armed robbers.

Economically, the disruption of free movement of vessels, capture of crew for

ransom has adversely affected the prices of goods at its final destination. This paper

seeks to examine the relationships and effects these attacks have on the various

facets of the marine logistic chain. The socio-economic model of Dr Kenneth

McLeroy is used to explain the various linkages existing between these

determinants viz economic perspective, social perspective, environmental

perspective and political instability. Finally, the relevance of maritime security in

the sphere of governance and the ability of institutions which would use the safety

of our oceans is examined.

Keywords: Piracy, Economic Perspective, Social Perspective, Political Instability,

Environmental Perspective, Shipping Perspective, Insecurity

INTRODUCTION

The incidence of maritime piracy and armed robbery is a crucial existential security challenge,

not only to the maritime industry but to society at large. The challenge is by no means limited

to security in any way. According to [1], the problem of piracy is ongoing and ever-changing

problem. Each area has their own features and requires their own solution for their specific

situation. Over the years, it has translated and transformed from ordinary attacks on cargo

vessels to contemporarily assume dimensional complexities in operations against other vessels

including tankers, container vessels and bulk carriers as well. Some scholars sustain that

pirates are not choosing their prey according to the shipment transported by the vessel [2], but

tend to avoid attacking ships flying the colors of countries having military presence in their

close vicinity [3]

Whilst the intention for piracy and armed robbery remains pure and clear as acts of thefts and

extortion, this modern face presents an increasing stress to stakeholders in the maritime

industry. What is more, stakeholder’s dependents are not spared the associated agony either

when piracy strikes. What gets attacked is as important as how it is attacked. Motherships are

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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 8, Issue 9, September-2021

Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom

more effective attack platforms than smaller skiffs and enable the pirate operations even when

it is monsoon season [4].

In the Gulf of Guinea, piracy and armed robbery remain horrific and terrifying phenomena

couched in violence; their expression ranges from hostage-taking, kidnappings, threats,

beatings to injuries and in the worst case possible, deaths of victims do occur.

Evidently, its undesirability has provoked and prompted thoughts and actions to inject

innovations and improvement dynamism of structures and institutions into the maritime

industry with the view to promoting security for the benefit of humanity. Come to think of

various legal frameworks, innovative structure on vessels such as citadels, employment

generations through the engagement of private armed guards to protect the vessel, naval

patrolling which gives meaning to existence of national security apparatus etc. In the last years

shipowners are trying to protect their ships from pirate attacks through security equipment

and by employment of private armed security on their ships [5]. It will not be out of order to

submit that maritime piracy and armed robbery have positive impacts as well. That the ripple

effects of maritime piracy and armed robbery have good and bad days cannot be

overemphasized.

Nevertheless, because of its undesirability, the ripple effects, albeit snowball effect, usually

attracts the wildest condemnation and sometimes subtle acceptance. Simply put, the ripple

effects of maritime piracy and armed robbery can either be positive or negative, depending on

the perspective entailed.

This paper will highlight such outlook in the review of the available literature to drive home on

what is meant by the topic under discussion, citing contemporary incidents in the Gulf of

Guinea, particularly in the Niger Delta of Nigeria, Ghana, Togo and Benin so as to also define the

scope of my research work. The concept of UNCLOS will be appealed to. Nonetheless, this paper

will consider the ripple effects in terms of security, social political, economics and maritime

transportation.

In view of the seemingly hidden positive components resulting from piracy, this research work

will be concluded in an expression of the influential propagatory arms of maritime piracy and

armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea to bring into focus recommendations that will project

security and dignity of humanity.

Definition of Concept

Piracy

According to International Maritime Bureau (IMB), piracy can be defined as “the act of boarding

or attempting to board any vessel with the apparent intent to commit theft or any other crime,

and with an intent or capacity to use force in furtherance of that act.”

According to Article 101 of UNCLOS Definition of Piracy 1982, "maritime piracy" consists of:

“(a) any illegal acts of violence or detention, or any act of depredation, committed for private

ends by the crew or the passengers of a private ship or a private aircraft, and directed: (i) on

the high seas, against another ship or aircraft, or against persons or property on board such

ship or aircraft; (ii) against a ship, aircraft, persons or property in a place outside the

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Ofosu-Boateng, N. R. L. (2021). The Ripple Effects of Maritime Piracy and Armed Robbery in the Gulf of Guinea. Advances in Social Sciences Research

Journal, 8(9). 289-302.

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.89.10868

jurisdiction of any State; (b) any act of voluntary participation in the operation of a ship or of

an aircraft with knowledge of facts making it a pirate ship or aircraft; (c) any act of inciting or

of intentionally facilitating an act described in subparagraph (a) or (b).”

Armed Robbery

The term “modern piracy” is often used interchangeably to cover both “piracy” and “armed

robbery” at sea. The IMO follows the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

(UNCLOS). IMO makes no distinction between attacks in international and territorial waters.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) defines armed robbery as: “Any unlawful act of

violence or detention or any act of depredation, threat thereof, other than an act of piracy,

committed for private ends and directed against a ship or against persons or property on board

such a ship, within a state’s internal waters, archipelagic waters and territorial seas.”

Maritime piracy and armed robbery are the same maritime crime just that they are

differentiated with respect to their location of perpetration. According to UNCLOS, piracy

occurs on the high seas and armed robbery occurs within a nation’s territorial waters.

Problem Definition

The ripple effect of maritime piracy and armed robbery is often misconstrued to mean the

negative influences of piracy and is it rightfully so because of the associated discomfort that

humanity faces and invariably expresses himself to flee and avoid. Nevertheless, much as this

is misconstrued, it translates into bias perspective, provocation of thoughts and actions against

the discomfort also trigger innovation of structures and legal framework in a quest for sound

and healthy living. The ripple effects of maritime piracy and armed robbery are thus considered

a design which expresses the mathematical number line model consisting both negative and

positive numbers. Simply put, ripple effects are not limited to negativities, positive entities are

also entailed. IMB report so far in the year 2020 has the following key factors, there was a 40%

increase in the number of kidnaping cases reported in the Gulf of Guinea.

As at 14th October, 2020, IMB reportedly submitted 132 attacks of global piracy incidents since

2020 began, indicating a rise in the number of attacks considering the number of incidents

(119) the took place at the same time last year. Of the global incidents of 85 kidnappings 80

victims were taken in the Gulf of Guinea in 14 different attacks off Nigeria, Ghana, Benin among

others in the Gulf of Guinea

Concept Explanation

The Ripple Effect

The concept of ripple effect, otherwise called domino effect is a representation of multiple levels

of impact initiated by an action, in this case piracy. In an event where the influence is translated

in an exponential growth from one level to the next, the term is best described as snowballing

effect. By digression and comparison, the incidents of piracy and armed robbery are considered

twin criminalities- sameness in nature and form-albeit different in location of perpetration.

When the crime occurs in the territorial waters of a country, including its port facilities, it is

called armed robbery and beyond the territorial waters the incident is called piracy.

Piracy basically creates negative ripple effects that hits the seafarer and by extension, his

relations, communities and society at large.